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Associate/Assistant Curator of Spanish and Colonial Latin American paintings

National Gallery of Art
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent serves as an Associate Curator in the department of Italian and Spanish Paintings (CEA-IS) and reports to the head of CEA-IS. The Associate Curator will assist in the oversight of the museum’s holdings of Spanish paintings before 1800 and will help to build a collection of colonial Latin American art at the National Gallery. The incumbent has expertise in colonial Latin American art.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/26/2024 to 08/16/2024
Salary
$82,764 to - $128,956 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Yes, per agency policy
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NGA-24-157-DE
Control number
801294000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

United States citizens and nationals

Duties

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As the Museum Curator (Art) you will be expected to perform the following:

  • Propose, organize, and coordinate exhibitions of colonial Latin American and Spanish art from both the National Gallery and loan collections. Ensure that exhibitions proposed, organized, or coordinated are well-conceived and well-developed, reflect institutional priorities. Exhibitions will embrace the National Gallery’s commitment to scholarly excellence and diversity and provide a visitor-centered experience that engages and attracts contemporary audiences.
  • Participate in the management of the Italian, Spanish, and colonial Latin American collections owned by and on loan to the National Gallery. Perform scholarly and technical work in collaboration with painting conservation to ensure thorough, up-to-date cataloguing, safe and orderly storage and documentation of artworks belonging to the National Gallery or proposed as gifts, purchases, and loans. 
  • Participate in annual inventory of the Italian, Spanish, and colonial Latin American collections. Work with conservators and technicians to ensure that physical care meets the highest standards for conservation treatment, storage, framing and other means of presentation.
  • Evaluate loan requests from other institutions to borrow artworks for special exhibitions; makes recommendations for loan decisions and special loan conditions based on the physical condition of the objects requested, the National Gallery’s and its visitors’ interests, and the significance and merits of the borrower’s project. 
  • Work with members of curatorial to ensure that objects entering the collection and objects already existing in the collection are properly researched and catalogued, including bibliography, references, catalogue raisonné citations, artist biographical data, and exhibition history. On a continuing basis, traces provenances, records references, makes comparative analyses, and collects photographic and technical information.
  • Identify any works bearing outdated or inaccurate labels and prepares materials with well-documented and scholarly arguments for changes in attribution, title, or date.
  • Initiate and/or oversees development of research and publishing projects.
  • Write, lecture, and consult on scholarly matters. Write or review texts for the website, brochures, leaflets and other National Gallery publications or scholarly studies.
  • Provide accurate and informative responses to inquiries from outside scholars, colleagues, and the public concerning works in the collection. Provide helpful and illuminating leads for further information.
  • Accommodate important visitors, groups, and classes in the galleries, art storage, and curatorial records and files. Give regular presentations, lectures, and tours. Support related public programs developed by educators. Work collaboratively.
  • Take part in department, interdepartmental, and curatorial meetings, at times representing the department. Serve on National Gallery-wide committees, as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

Qualifications

andidates must meet the Qualification Standards Handbook requirements for the GS-1015-11/12.

GS-11 Specialized Experience StatementFor this position as an Assistant Curator, specialized experience is at least one year of curatorial experience, equivalent in responsibility to the GS-9 level in the Federal service, developing Spanish and Colonial Latin American painting collections.

GS-12 Specialized Experience StatementFor this position as an Associate curator, specialized experience is at least one year of curatorial experience, equivalent in responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service, developing Spanish and Colonial Latin American painting collections.

Your application and resume must demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must show in your résumé how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. If asked to do so, cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

Those applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements will be evaluated against these factors to determine the best-qualified candidates.

1. Skill in organizing exhibitions, from small focus projects to major international loan shows

2. Ability to research and acquire relevant art pieces for a large collection.

3. Ability to write and develop interpretative art programs for all audience levels

4. Knowledge of communication techniques to effectively collaborate with others.

Other Relevant Eligibility Criteria: Must have one of the following, a) degree in art history, b) a combination of course work and experience in the field of art history, c) 4 years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study in art history.

 "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration under merit promotion procedures.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education:

  1. Degree: museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field.

    OR

  2. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    OR

  3. Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in A above.

Additional information

The National Gallery of Art fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.

• Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.

AN EXTERNAL SELECTED CANDIDATE MUST BE FINGERPRINTED AND RECEIVE A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, RESULTING IN A SATISFACTORY SUITABILITY DETERMINATION BEFORE BEING HIRED FOR THIS POSITION.

• All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

EEO Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement

Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Veterans_Information

Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection procedures. The quality categories are defined as "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified".

Based on your responses to the job-specific self-assessment questions, eligible candidates are placed for selection consideration into one of three pre-defined quality categories as described below:

Best Qualified Category - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications for the position, candidates must fully demonstrate proficiency in all major aspects of the position.

Well Qualified Category - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all of the major aspects of the position.

Qualified Category - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of knowledge, skill and ability of the position.

If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

Application of Veterans Preference: The Category Rating Method does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each pre-defined quality category. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent (i.e., CPS and CP) must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.                                                                                             

                                                                                        


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